Computed Tomography (CT) procedures are commonly used to obtain cross-sectional images of the patient's body, including images of a patient's brain, lungs, heart, liver, bones, blood vessels, etc. CT procedures are often used to diagnose different kinds of diseases such as cancer, to plan radiation treatments and surgeries, and to guide physicians during biopsies and other invasive procedures.
CT procedures involve the use of CT machines that use x-ray radiation to obtain the cross-sectional images. In conducting a CT procedure, a patient is placed in the CT machine between an x-ray generating source and an x-ray detecting sensor. The CT machine delivers controlled amounts of x-ray radiation from the x-ray generating source to the portion of the patient's body being examined. The x-ray detecting sensor is positioned on the other side of the patient and captures the x-ray radiation passing through the body of the patient. The x-ray detecting sensor sends an output signal to a processor representative of the amount of x-ray radiation absorbed by the patient. The processor receives the output signal from the x-ray detecting sensor and processes the signal to create the cross-sectional images of the patient on a display.
As presently configured, areas in which CT procedures are conducted (i.e. CT areas) expose not only the patient to radiation, but also the physicians and other medical personnel that may be present during the procedure. In CT procedures, significant amounts of radiation may be scattered to the patient and to the physician, or other medical personnel in the CT area (i.e. scatter radiation). The likelihood of having radiation scattered to the physician or other medical personnel is increased for CT fluoroscopy guided interventional procedures during which the medical personnel is in the CT area during the scan.
In addition, medical personnel and patients may be exposed to radiation emanating through the body or housing of the CT machine during a CT procedure. CT machines generally include a housing (i.e., gantry) defining an opening in which a patient is placed during a CT procedure. While the x-ray generating source generally concentrates the emitted x-ray radiation to the area defined by the opening, it is possible for at least some x-ray radiation to pass through the housing of the CT machine. Radiation passing through the housing of the CT machine may be received by the patient and/or the medical personnel present during the CT procedure.
Exposure to radiation may create potential health concerns. Radiation specialists and government agencies recognize the potential health risks caused by ionizing radiation and have developed the principle of ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable). The principle of ALARA requires that radiation levels be reduced to the greatest degree possible taking into account a reasonable cost and physical application.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a radiation attenuation system that may be used during CT procedures to minimize a patient's exposure to radiation. It would further be advantageous to provide a radiation attenuation system that reduces the amount of radiation exposure for medical personnel working in a CT area. It would also be advantageous to provide a radiation attenuation system that is relatively flexible and compliant, and adaptable for use with a variety of CT machines and CT procedures. It would also be advantageous to provide a radiation attenuation system that is disposable. It would also be advantageous to provide a radiation attenuation system that is sterilizible before use. It would also be advantageous to provide a radiation attenuation system that may be coupled to CT devices having different configurations. It would further be advantageous to provide a radiation attenuation system for protecting medical personnel that is suitable for use with CT fluoroscopy procedures where medical personnel may need to insert biopsy needles or other instrumentation without hindrance. It would also be advantageous to provide a radiation attenuation system which provides a relatively high degree of comfort to the user. It would further be advantageous to provide a radiation attenuation system that is configured to reduce the amount of radiation exposure realized by a patient and/or medical personnel due to radiation emanating from the body or housing of a CT machine. It would further be advantageous to provide a CT machine having a radiation attenuation system configured to minimize the amount of radiation that passes through the body or housing of the CT machine and into the CT area. It would still further be advantageous to provide a housing for a CT machine configured to minimize the amount of radiation that passes through the substrate or body of the housing into the CT area. It would be desirable to provide for a radiation attenuation system having one or more of these or other advantageous features.